The Washington critic., 1887-08-19

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WASHINGTON, AUGUST 10, 1897
THE Washington special to the New
York HeraH yesterday, giving au nc.
count Of the late accident on the B. and
O. Road, concludes as follows
In the midst Of the calamity tho District
Commissioners mHic clowns ot themselves,
without stopping 10 n,onffnin tho n.ts and
without ever having before been offended at
the existence OF thccc,d Y, they decroed to.
day that 1t must ne removed baclus' u passau-
ger train had ncruu, Unuauu- four
miles from where II I. located. aud had been
fortunately wrecked tboro instead of in the
depot filed with rrfsola Their conduct uf
late has been such ~ To warrant tho belief
that authority has m sdu tagm mad
This remarkable paragraph reads a.
though It had been originally intended
for the Cincinnati CoWm1ciR Gd.cHc
and had been misplaced at the tele.
graph office. There is certainly no
sense In II. Ii ia simply n wholly un-
just and malevolent whhck q tie Com.
mission, rs, b3lraS ing, m recover, an
opaque amount Of ignorance ON the
part of the writer In its intimation
that the "Y' had never before proved
cause Of olfense. There has been
persistent opposition to this track for
years, and an equally persistent demand
for its removal. Complaint on this
score Is well founded and of long stand
ing; and the Commissioners, instead of
making clowns of themselves" by
their vigorous action in the matter,
have simply entered upon the discharge
of duty that could no longer be con.
sistently neglected. They have taken
n most commendable course, and, a.
appears by the result of yesterdays
conference with the railway authorities,
have succeeded in bringing about q
change of affairs that entities them to
the hearty thanks Of the District. Their
exercise of authority has been prompt
energetic and sagacious. 1t marks the
beginning of long desired end-the
ultimate relief Of our community from
grievances that have become well.nigh
unbearable.
THE Chicago Times says of the pres
ent form of government of the District
of Columbia that "it is better than any
thing that could be founded upon the
demagogic idea of universal suffrage
in purely municipal corporation,
but that 'it Is Objectionable in that It in.
wolves taxation without representation
"A condition abhorrcnt TO the idea of
free government and free commu.
nifty.
The Times is entirely right on the
universal suffrage" question. To turn
the city of Washington into voting
precinct, under existing social condi-
tions, would he the next Thing to turn
ing 1t into bowling wilderness. 1t
would certainly prove seriously oh.
strucIiya to the prosperity of The Dis
trict, aud not only put an end to all real
estate booms. but upset the legitimate
and substantial values OF all kills Of
prop :rty.
AS to "tGSation without representa-
t!on" there is something abhorrent in
the idea, but the taxation without repre-.
sentation that is imposed upon the cili-
2tns OF the District of Columbia is
quite different thing from the priey-
ance of the same name against which
our colonial ancestors rebelled. 1t Is
only half as much of grievance at
best, for here and now the General Gov
eminent foots half the expenses of the
local government. 1t may be that the
inestimable privilege of electing q dele
gate to Congress by vote of the peo-
pie would compensate for the luxury of
paying bigger taxes, but we can hardly
see 1t In that light,
With Board of Commissioners, ap-
pointed by the President, majority of
whom are citizens of the Districts with q
committee in each house of Congress,
selected especially to look after District
interests, and with Central Committee
OF one hundred good and true men to
look after the Commissioners and Con.
gress both, there Is not much sense in
clamoring for more representation un-
less the District can be assured thereby
of cheaper and better form of govern.
ment.
OF this, no assurance can be given.
The chances aIe all the other way.
---z--
SOME of The well fed attorneys OF the
land gran, railroads are considerably
dlsgrunticd at lhe recent decision of
Secretary Lamar restoring about 3D..
O00,OO0 acres Of land to Homestead set.
tlement. Railroad corporations are
very tenacious Of their grip upon un
earned land grants and pay big fees to
lawyers to make the worse appear The
better reason-hence these tears. ThC
following Is but brief extract from q
long telegraphIc screed IN this morn
ipg's New York Iji5gH6 from Wash
ington;
In conversation with q lawyer yesterday
who has devoted many Ycnr8 Ia the study OF
the land laws O. lhl United states as well az
to the railroad Land grant pgo nlou, the 1Ti'
Ni6 correspondent asked
"What do you think OF Secretary Lamar,
decision restoring the indemnify lands Of the
Atlantic and PGcihg company 10 entry under
the settlement laws"
The lawyer rcp'lsl. "Oh. lt's clclrly 2
political move oosgnpd to help Cleveland
in certain QuGters There i- nC
SINGER BY IN Il. lt ls The hand Of lama
and the voice Of Cleveland The admlnlstra
tlon Of Commissioner Sparks has had Ia,